FBI testing face recognition for finding suspects
The NSA may claim it's not collecting photos of American citizens for a facial recognition database, but the FBI most certainly is. The feds has been building what it calls the "Next Generation Identification database," primarily by gathering mug shots from local law enforcement agencies. The software is being built of MorphoTrust, a company that helped the State Department create its own face recognition database. At the moment the two can't share data, say by simply importing an existing State Department record, but FBI Director James Comey wouldn't rule out the possibility. What's more concerning however, are the accusations from the Electronic Frontier Foundation that many innocent people will be swept into the database, which is expected to reach 52 million images by next year. To make matters worse, Director Comey was unable to allay those fears when addressing law makers recently. The agency's head said he wasn't sure if the EFF's claims were accurate, nor could he rule out that people's drivers' license photos might end up in the pool. When asked specifically about license photos he said, "I think there is some circumstances in which when states send us records... pictures of people who are getting special driving licenses to transport children or explosive materials."
